


debutant

by side_stickie_note (lost_stickie_note)



Series: tinysparks [8]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Childhood Friends, First Love, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:49:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25078660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_stickie_note/pseuds/side_stickie_note
Summary: Yifan and Junmyeon are waiting for their introduction to Society.
Relationships: Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Wu Yi Fan | Kris
Series: tinysparks [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1734781
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19
Collections: Challenge #4 — Into the Future





	debutant

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be longer, but I didn't get to all the parts I wanted. A bit sad about that, but I'm not sure I want to write a longer version, so I'll just expand upon my thoughts in the end notes. :) Implied character death, but there's no graphic stuff.

Yifan notices that Junmyeon is missing immediately as he wakes, the spot next to him in the bed cold when he sweeps his hand over the sheets, the indent in the pillow long gone. He finds Junmyeon downstairs in the kitchen, the only light coming from the open fridge, the younger boy rummaging through it. “Myeon, come on, we should be in bed.”

“But I’m hungry, Fanfan.” Junmyeon looks at him all pouty and bright wide doe eyes. “Just want a snack.”

“Not right now.” Yifan holds out his hand, and Junmyeon automatically takes it, the other boy still liking to cling to his side even now that they’ve grown, Junmyeon a precocious six-years-old to Yifan’s seven-years-old.

Junmyeon’s been with him for as long as he remembers, his Partner at the Academy, the two of them going to academic lessons in the classrooms led by the Elders, spending their free time together in their mutually agreed upon extracurriculars—Yifan picking basketball and Junmyeon, cycling.

It had taken Junmyeon a long time to learn how to ride a bike, Yifan helping a wobbly Junmyeon balance without his training wheels. The first time Yifan had let go too soon, Junmyeon falling, scraping his knee, and crying. Yifan had kissed away the four-year-old’s tears, Junmyeon responding happily to colored bandaids decorated with little frogs.

It doesn’t take long for Junmyeon to fall asleep next to him again, the sound of Junmyeon’s breathing a familiar comfort.

“Fanfan.”

“What?” Yifan looks up from his assignment, the numbers on the page swimming in his head, the math particularly difficult for him today, the subject not one of his strong suits.

“What do you think will happen when we enter Society?”

“That’s a long ways away. And not anything you need to think about now.” Yifan taps the papers in front of Junmyeon with his index finger. “Have you finished your homework?”

The nine-year-old shakes his head. “No, but almost.” Junmyeon turns to look out the window wistfully, outside a perfect blue summer day, a few clouds drifting by. “Can we go outside?”

“Finish your work first.” Yifan murmurs, staring down at his worksheet again, eyebrows drawn into a frown as he tries to decipher the word problem. “Maybe later.” But then he’s being forcefully dragged away from his seat, Junmyeon apparently not able to wait another second to go cloud watching, and they spend the entire afternoon lazing on the grassy hill, Junmyeon yelling out _sheep!_ every time to Yifan’s great amusement.

“Hey, Yifan.” Yifan lets out a barrage of curses as Junmyeon walks in, slamming his laptop screen down and slouching down into his bed under the covers as best he can, glaring at Junmyeon. “Can you fucking knock first?”

“Well, this _is_ my room too.” Junmyeon points out unhelpfully, helping himself to a seat at the foot of Yifan’s bed.

“Yeah, but some privacy would be appreciated.” Yifan huffs. “You know, because of reasons.” He lightly kicks Junmyeon with his foot from underneath his blankets, thankful at least his laptop is in his lap, covering up his…yeah.

“Mm, what reasons?”

Yifan stares at Junmyeon, dead-pan. “I’m sixteen, in bed with my laptop, and just told you I need privacy. Figure it out.”

He watches as Junmyeon’s face contorts into quite an expressive mix of realization, embarrassment, abject horror, and panic. To Junmyeon’s credit, the other boy doesn’t _immediately_ run out of the room. “I’ll uhh- leave you alone then.” Yifan sighs after Junmyeon leaves, the desire to finish what he had been doing disappearing completely, and Yifan runs a cold shower before tracking down Junmyeon to watch a movie instead.

“It’s almost time for our Coming of Age.” Yifan hums as he watches Junmyeon swing his legs, the two of them sitting on the edge of the stone wall surrounding the Academy, passing a can of shitty beer back and forth. “Just another year.”

Yifan sighs, thinking. Their Coming of Age, a ceremony marking the day when the first of two people who are Partners turns twenty, and also their debut into Society, finally able to graduate from the Academy and join the Elders. Yifan is nineteen now, and the thought still doesn’t feel real.

“What do you want to do first when we get out of here?”

“Hmm, no clue.”

“Really, no ideas?” Yifan feels Junmyeon’s hand, the other boy curling his fingers, so they fit together, the rough feeling of stone underneath his palm a sharp contrast to the cool smoothness of Junmyeon’s hand over his. “I mean, I don’t really care either as long as I’m with you, I guess. Unless you’re tired of living with me.”

“Never.”

Junmyeon’s face is pale, almost a ghostly feel under the moonlight, and there’s the hint of the smile forming, corners tugging upwards, all lopsided and warm, before all he feels is the wet sloppiness of a first kiss, the taste of bad alcohol and a two in the morning star-filled sky in his mouth.

It’s finally here, their Coming of Age.

Yifan can feel the other boy shaking next to him, the nervous vibrating of Junmyeon knocking against his shoulder, and Yifan grabs Junmyeon’s hand to steady him, the two of them sitting, waiting to get registered. Their number is called, and suddenly the dose of reality hits, the two of them walking down the hallway, entering a separate room, nothing but a shabby foldout table in the middle, two chairs on opposite sides.

The tinny voice over the loudspeaker is that of their Headmaster. “Please take a seat so we can begin.” Junmyeon looks at him wordlessly, and Yifan gives a nod, sitting. “To build a truly perfect Society, we must choose the best citizens to make up our world. Only one of you will be introduced, and the other we regret to say will be disposed of. You may discuss now, choose wisely.”

No. No.

There’s a stricken look on Junmyeon’s face, a tremor in his voice, choked tears.

“Fanfan.”

**Author's Note:**

> 🥂: "A little party never killed nobody"
> 
> Mmm, essentially they are testing for the most 'selfless' individuals to enter Society (though many of the participants assume it is whoever decides to kill the other first). And Yifan chooses to sacrifice himself to save Junmyeon, and that act makes the Elders deem Yifan as more selfless, thus he gets introduced to Society and Junmyeon is disposed of. Fin.
> 
> Twitter: [@sidestickienote](https://twitter.com/sidestickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@sidestickienote](https://curiouscat.qa/sidestickienote)  
> 


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